(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fishing rod and reel holding device In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus which has an elongated rectangular cross-sectioned base with support members hinged to each of the short ends of the base. The hinges, which are spring loaded, allow for arcuate movement of the supports between an unfolded or use position and a folded or collapsed position In the folded position, the supports are secured adjacent to the top side of the base by manipulation of a retainer mounted between the opposed ends of the base. Releasing the retainer allows the hinges to bias the supports into the use position so that a fishing rod and reel can be rested in the holder, the rod handle resting on one of the supports and the pole resting on the other support.
(2) Prior Art
The prior art has described various types of fishing rod holding devices These devices are designed to free up a fisherman's hands for other activities between fish strikes. They also serve to cradle the fishing rod so that a fish will not be able to pull the fishing rod and reel overboard or offshore and to keep the fishing rod and reel up off the ground Illustrative of the prior art holder devices are U.S Pat. Nos. 2,606,731 to Harris; 4,156,982 to Phillips; 4,245,419 to McManus; 4,479,322 to Koppel; and 4,594,805 to McClelland.
Harris designed a holder that mounts on a boat for keeping a fishing rod and reel from going overboard when a fish is caught. The holder includes a U-shaped portion that is mounted on one end of a bar for receiving the reel. The front end of the bar is bent upwardly and is provided with a V-shaped notch for supporting the pole. Included at an intermediate position between the reel holder and the bent front end portion is an adjustable mechanism for locking the pole in the device and a C-clamp for connecting the holder to a boat. By mounting the reel in its holder and the rod in the V-notch, the rod can be locked in place which prevents the rod from being pulled overboard.
McClelland is illustrative of a collapsible fishing pole holder device. The McClelland device comprises a short wall member fixed to one end of an elongated rectangular base and two pivotable supports. One relatively long support is hinged at the opposite end of the base while the second, intermediate height support is hinged to the base between the fixed end and the first support. The supports are pivoted toward the base wall so that when they are folded down they lie adjacent to the base and form a relatively flat object that is easily carried and stored. When the holder device is unfolded for fishing, the reel sits between the fixed wall and the intermediate support while the pole rests in grooves provided at the two support ends opposite the hinges. In this manner, a fisherman can easily observe when a fish strikes the line and since the majority of the weight of the fishing rod and reel is distributed toward the fixed back wall, it is difficult for the fishing rod to be yanked out of the holder device. Koppel also describes a collapsible holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,774,563 to Pribis teaches a collapsible gun rest which is comprised of a box structure that can be opened to define two upwardly open box halves, each of which is provided with a movable support member having a V-shaped notch at an outer end. Each support member is pivotally mounted in its own box half, with the pivot connection being provided by a pin that extends through the box side walls and through an elongated slot within the support member. Accordingly, each notch member normally lies flat within its box portion but can be raised vertically with respect to the pivot pin. When pivoted into its use position, each member will be raised within the limits of the elongated slot during pivoting and then lowered into a receiving notch formed in the interior of the box. The box halves are connected together by means of a piano hinge and the two notched support members can be of different lengths.